Summary:

In an alternate universe where society reached modern times with a roughly Ancient Roman level of technology, sexual pleasure is paramount; the Cullens are a breed apart: sexual vegetarians, if you will. Bella is an "Innocent" and so off limits for deeper sexual gratification, a role she gladly embraces, taking pleasure only in giving to those around her. That is until she meets Edward. Suddenly her Father's insistence on her remaining an Innocent and Aro's desires to keep her for himself have become an unwelcome burden to her life. How will Bella and Edward survive their desire to be together when it is forbidden?.

*WARNING* This story starts out with intense woman/woman imagery, and will depict graphic multi-partner pairings in future chapters. DO NOT READ IF YOU ARE OFFENDED BY GRAPHIC SEXUAL CONTENT!!!

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C/N:

Disclaimer: In case you weren't sure…not mine (except possibly the togas).

So here's my first fic. I thought I'd just bite the bullet and go with the most audacious idea first off. Thanks to Goldenmeadow for getting me to think about my own ideas and a huge thanks to TwiliteAddict for being my grammar beta extraordinaire!!! They both have multiple fabulous fics out there from polar opposites of the lemon loving spectrum. I highly recommend you go check them out (when you finish here of course!).

This fic is also posted over on Twilited(dot)net under my alt ego IslandWoman221.

And without further ado…

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Chapter 1: Tantalizing

BPOV

I couldn't help the self satisfied grin that tugged at the corners of my mouth as I heard her moan above me. It was such an honor to be chosen by Lord Aro to be part of tonight's decorations. Long time special friends of Aro's deserved nothing but the most special of welcome feasts, so none but the best were permitted in the room. I was very flattered to be included in their number, even if it did nothing to lessen the frustration all but perpetually coiled in the pit of my belly.

My position against the wall not far from the dais where Lord Aro waited was hot, stuffy, and delicious; not to mention the most vied for position in the room. I had the pleasure of ensuring Aro's most recent acquisition was at her most flushed and beautiful all evening long, peaking every so often, at just the right moments.

From behind the cloth blocking my view of the room I could imagine the feast for the senses the room created. The normally lavish room, with its pillars, marble accents, and scattered piles of silken and velvet pillows, was even more resplendent tonight. Couples and individuals gilded in glimmering oils; barely clothed in sheer fabrics, skin glistening with exotic oils, were writhing in various nooks about the room. Animated sculptures, living art, bent on depicting the most erotic scenes possible. The imagined sight of all those clusters of inhumanly beautiful flesh set out as living decorations, sounds and movements meant to be a titillating backdrop to the conversations of the evening, drove me to increase my own efforts to complete the background tableau.

Sadly, Aro's guests would never know it was my feet peeking out of Gianna's dress, rather than her own. I knew maintaining this position for long would leave me with the most awful strain in my neck, and likely a sprained tongue at the rate I was going, but at the moment I couldn't bring myself to care. The thought made me wind my arms more firmly around her waist struggling to bring her closer, push myself deeper into her lightly scented folds.

Gianna hung suspended from the wall above me while her dress hung down over both of us making it appear that my feet were hers and that she was nearly twice her actual height. I had my head thrown back lapping and sucking between her legs as my hands roamed slowly and stealthfully over her stomach and as much of her torso as I could reach under the billowing, gauzy gown encasing us. She has such a light delicate flavor, unlike any other I have ever experienced. I found myself particularly glad of the duty, and eager to be sure we filled our roles to perfection.

Above me I was sure Gianna looked like a goddess incarnate with her face flushed, heavily lidded, lust-filled eyes; soft moans and pants, alternating with staccato cries,punctuate the air in a symphony of pleasure; the perfect backdrop for Lord Aro's welcome feast, just as Lord Aro knew it would be. Rising on my toes and wrapping one arm firmly around Gianna's waist, pulling her toward me, I sucked deeply with as much fervor as I could muster on her soft, sweet clit; simultaneously plunging two fingers deep within her. Instantly I felt her orgasm clench around my fingers as she strove to moderate her screams into more appropriate cries. Gasping for air, I felt my own pleasure tightly coiled between my legs, moisture trickling down my thighs, unfulfilled longing my all too familiar companion.

EPOV

As we entered Aro's newest and most Mediterranean pleasure villa together I again wondered why I had agreed to come. It's not like I remotely cared about Aro or his hedonistic lifestyle. I knew the others enjoyed the diversion the surroundings afforded them from time to time, but my own interest seldom strayed into the world Aro took such pride creating.

My peripheral vision took in the posture of my brothers and their wives, noticing how their bright eyes drank in the touching and groping bodies writhing like so much animated sexual sculpture. I had no doubt Emmett had an enormous grin on his face as he watched a particularly large fellow grappling with two buxom beauties nearby, no doubt imagining later escapades with Rosalie. Jasper was undoubtedly entranced by the little couple pinned between two other superb examples of man flesh, nether regions fully filled, as their tongues deeply plundered each others' mouths. He had a thing for petite forms. Esme and Rosalie were more focused on the front of the room, appraising gazes taking in the welcome our hosts were soon to offer.

It was Alice's turned head that caught my attention most. She was also gazing toward the front of the audience chamber, but like her husband was taking in the spectacle of Aro's living collection. It was a tall woman attached at the shoulders to the wall, draped in a long flowing tunic gown, hands clutching at her breasts sporadically and rather frantically, sandaled toes barely peeking from the hem on the floor, which drew her attention. As she stared a crease momentarily marred the skin between her arching brows. This slight frown was accompanied by a momentary unfocused look which overtook her pensive features, quickly followed by the most impish of grins as her eyes shot to my own. While this chain of expressions was momentarily diverting I was far too used to Alice's ways to pay much attention. She'd tell, or rather taunt, me in her own time if she wished me to know the source of her amusement. The one thing I could be certain of, she was about to meddle in my private life if I wasn't careful.

The frustrating thing for me in this situation was my awareness that as one of his oldest friends and most influential supporters, Carlisle could ill afford to refuse a special invitation from Aro and his fellow Volturi princes. It was just irritating to feel the pressure of such a requirement, but to not know what motivated the invitation necessitating our appearance. Aro never did anything without a reason.

As always, I was titillated when I observed the writhing bodies set up to act as living decorative entertainment, I was a man, after all, but mostly I was bored. One of the disadvantages of being such an astute observer of human behavior is very little surprises me anymore. People's body language and facial expressions are so telling. It's almost as if I can read the thoughts of those around me at times. Sadly, this ability merely serves to make me feel more isolated from those around me. Their thoughts are so rarely original. They're all so much the same I find myself mind numbingly bored, even amidst a crowd as I was tonight.

Only my family violated this truism. They alone could I count on to stretch my mind and challenge my insight. Together we pushed the limits of our intellect, tested the limits of what is "known." Each with different strengths, we balance each other in ways we had come to rely upon. It was our mutual thirst for knowledge and intellectual exploration that set us apart as much as our intimate feelings that weren't based on physicality. We were as much of a novelty to most of our peers as tonight's entertainment was meant to be for us all. Where most covens in our world existed merely as groupings based on mutual sexual appetite, rarely lasting for long in any stable form, we were bound together by bonds of emotional caring, and intellectual stimulation. We are truly a family, though not bound together by blood, we share a fire in our bellies, the venom of philosophical pursuit burning through our souls forging ties stronger than mere relatedness. We pursue the thoughts of the age, spending hours locked in heated debates on any and all subjects. It is this intimacy which binds us together so strongly.

Perhaps it is that the others have found what we privately term "soul mates" (the one other who completes them totally,) which has helped bond such a large group so deeply. Perhaps, instead, it is the relationship of mutual respect and common interest we foster, but while our peers sneer at our supposed self denial, we experience a deeper more satisfying pleasure from our philosophical intimacy, and nonphysical love than they will ever receive from the physical exertion they practice together. I also suspect from what I have inadvertently seen and heard from my family that their personal relationships bring a deeper intimacy which allows each to fully complete the other as deeply in private as they do in our public discussions.

It's not like the open nature of their sexuality bothers me. (How could it in this exhibitionist society?) Sex, or more accurately physical pleasure, is exchanged as easily as breathing, and almost as casually. However, it only serves to set me further apart, even from my family. I am the epitome of the odd man out. It isn't a matter of sexual pleasure. Any of the many people who surround us, either at home or on our travels would be capable of sating my physical needs. The fact is, having seen the depth of emotional bonding possible between two people deeply bonded together, I am unwilling to settle for less myself; no matter how many nubile young woman (and men) attempt make their way into my bed.

Commitment to Mates, or primary pairings (the shallower, but most analogous term used by our peers) rather than maintaining our own pleasure compound, freely giving and receiving pleasure with whomever happens to be willing and interested, openly baffles our peers. I have recently heard of other cultures calling the phenomena of commitment to a primary pairing as monogamy. However, this term implies a longevity to the relationship almost completely absent from pairings in our culture. While primary pairings are common within the confines of a contractual pairing to produce a child certain to be of your own line, these pairings are not typically of long duration and are almost never exclusive once the child is produced. Pairing exclusively for physical mating rather than forming a deeper emotional bond has been the norm for so long any other approach is seen as so foreign, laughable even, and the restraint necessary for such pairing, contemptuous. The desire to even attempt monogamy is mystifying for nearly everyone we encounter.

I guess their understanding our lifestyle choices stems from a general lack of understanding of Carlisle and his philosophies. What started as his natural reserve and compassion for others without benefit to himself became a quest to understand the deeper meaning of love, in all its forms. The intellectual journey of his quest followed by eventually finding Esme (a fellow philosopher for whom his radical ideas were a breath of fresh air), merely served to cement his ideals more deeply.

I was Carlisle's first protégé and the only one to be with him before he and Esme found each other. Carlisle rescued me from a life on the streets after my parents succumbed to one of the many illnesses which can ravage any society. He had been volunteering to nurse the sick with acolytes from the nearby healer's temple in order to study up close the severing of attachments which inevitably accompany death. It was the dedication my parents showed for each other and most especially for me which first caught his attention. After days of watching my mother deplete herself tending to me and my father, Carlisle began to care for my mother as she too, succumbed to the sickness. He had valued her compassion and dedication in the face of so little hope, but in the end, it was the depth of her love which caused him to agree to her dying wish that he care for me as if I were his own.

He saw to it I received the best education tutors could supply. I very quickly began to seek, not only Carlisle's council, but eagerly debating the validity of his conclusions with him. It was my love of this verbal sparring which lead me to also begin considering myself a philosopher.

Rosalie joined us next. I've always suspected a bit of hopeful matchmaking on the part of Esme there. Sadly for Esme's plans, Rosalie and I set each other's teeth on edge from the first moment we laid eyes on one another. However, her incredibly tenacious nature and quick mind made her a natural addition to our group, and I was glad Esme had another woman to turn to, much as I had with Carlisle, but I could never be attracted to such a shallow, vain and willful woman the way my adoptive parents desired.

It wasn't long later that Emmett came to study at our compound. He was such an incongruous being. His size is so at odds with his sharp wit. We were fast friends, his humor the perfect contrast to my own brooding tendencies. The number of times he has used the preconceived notions of others against them to great comic effect never fails to make me laugh.

Rosalie and Emmett's initial meeting was the first time I personally observed the phenomena of love at first sight. Rosalie and I were locked in heated debate over some inconsequential idea when Carlisle returned from a trip to the countryside where he had encountered Emmett, wasting his intellectual abilities, and being viciously beaten by a huge bear of a man who regularly punished him for not being stupid enough. Carlisle quickly interceded and somehow convinced the man to part with Emmett. The entrance of such a striking person with our Master happened to catch our eyes. The intensity of their gaze was the most amazing thing to behold. It was if an unnatural calm swept over them both. Completely forgetting my presence , Rosalie crossed the courtyard, eyes locked on Emmett's face, reached out to touch his arm with a gentle hand, and asked his name. He returned her otherworldly stare, has barely left her side since.

It wasn't long after I began to abstain from the behaviors considered to be the norm by the rest of our society. Surrounded by such depth of feeling I couldn't escape the feeling of utter superficiality to my sex acts. I began to crave more, to have someone look at me and see the depths of my soul, not just the pleasing aspect of my regular features. As time went on, the lack of true feeling exhibited by the rutting masses around us became more of an irritant and less of a turn-on.

Within a few short years Alice and Jasper found us and were immediately included in our intimate circle. They too had a bond that defied convention, and made a perfect addition to our family. Having yet another example of how fulfilling a deep emotional attachment can be further reinforced my increasing need to hold out for someone with whom I could form a deeper connection. I would no longer accept anyone less than my soul mate.

Returning to the present, my eyes scanned the opulent room. Little decorative clusters of mostly naked figures writhed, groped, and pounded together around the edges of the room. Other groupings were apparently inspired by the ambiance (as they were intended to be) and had sought out the clusters of pillows in semi-secluded nooks throughout the room for their play. In the far corner a server had even stopped to receive oral gratification when his passing naked form had inspired another server to fall to her knees and take him in her mouth.

At the head of the room were the three rather throne like benches occupied by none other than our hosts: Aro, Caius, and Marcus. I shuddered to think of ever resembling Markus with his bored expression. His appetites were legendary. There was nothing it seemed that he had not tried, and apparently, it has led him to a place where very little is left to entice or stimulate him. I pitied him at the same time I took his reactions as a warning. My own existence was far from diverting physically, but at least I hadn't become utterly desensitized to the mental experiences life affords us.

"Welcome, friends! Welcome to my most humble abode!" Aro boomed as he strode forward to clasp Carlisle in the tight embrace of brotherhood. "I see you like my little collection. Is it not the most spectacular you have ever seen?" he demanded, his gesture encompassing the decorative groupings of people writhing around the periphery of the room.

Without a doubt each and every individual was quite extraordinary. Utterly flawless in their beauty and quite athletic in their sexual zeal, to judge from the little I could observe from my position behind my "siblings." Surprisingly the one individual who repeatedly drew my attention was the young woman Alice had noticed suspended from the ceiling near Aro's dais. Her dark skin and green eyes were in keeping with the general splendor of the room, but not of a physical type I was typically particularly attracted to.

Apparently, she was unnaturally tall, but there was something about the way her dress seemed to undulate in slow serpentine waves that repeatedly drew my eyes. Her flushed face was the very picture of pleasure, her crimson cheeks and heavily lidded eyes were very provocative, but all I wanted to do was rip her dress off her to have an uninterrupted view of what was concealed beneath. Such a strange urge, so hard to resist, and so very unlike me to be so drawn when I could tell there was so little about the woman to consciously draw my attention. I had never felt such bewildering attraction in my life.

"Aro, my friend, we are most happy to have received your kind invitation." Carlisle smoothly replied drawing me out of my mystifying contemplation. Carlisle laughed, "However, I fail to see how you can get away with calling this spectacular palace something as inaccurate as Villa, or humble, for that matter! You have most certainly outdone yourself." Aro smiled with pleasure as Carlisle continued, "You remember the rest of my family, I'm sure."

"Certainly," Aro said as he took Esme's hand, drawing it up to place a gentle kiss on her knuckles as his thumb briefly caressed the back of her hand. "Who could forget the beautiful, Esme."

Esme returned his flattery with a gracious smile of her own and turned to indicate the five of us behind her. "We all appreciate your most kind invitation to visit this most sumptuous of retreats, Aro. It really is outstanding, even for you."

"Why thank-you, Esme, I am rather fond of it, already." Aro replied as he released her hand. "I see you are admiring my most recent addition, Edward. That is the lovely Gianna," Aro indicated with a smirk. "Isn't she divine? The talent that resides beneath that dress just makes my mouth water." I politely nodded at Aro's comment, wondering what game he is playing at.

Turning away he continued, "Much of the Villa's perfection is due to the amazing abilities of my dear Charlie. His organization skills and talent for keeping the workers in line have been invaluable. He has been my head of security for ages, but I find his talents in other areas are even more valuable, of late." An older man, with an air of reserved observation about him, stepped forward at Aro's words and gave a short bow in response.

"You flatter me, Aro. How could I do anything less than my best for you after all our years together? It is a service I am happy to provide."

Aro laughed. "Yes, yes, this I know. I am certain you all will get on famously with the Cullens. You all have similar tastes in restraint and self denial." He was obviously enjoying his little joke and general distain as he indicated the rest of us in the group to Charlie. Contempt dripped from his tone, "Charlie, too has interesting views on pairing and intimacy." Charlie stood his ground, politely inclining his head toward Aro, neatly sidestepping the taunt.

To cover the possible awkward moment, Aro began introducing the rest of us. "Our huge friend here is Emmett Cullen with his most stunning wife, Rosalie." Aro also took Rose's hand kissing the back, much the way he had with Esme, nodding at Emmett.

Beside them are the lovely firebrand Alice and her most charming Mate, Jasper Whitlock Cullen." Again he bestowed a small kiss and nod. "And our most solitary and handsome friend in the back is the incomparable Edward Cullen." Aro's lips curled up in a slight smirk as he introduced me.

I suspected as always that Aro was hoping I would join him and his queen for some "alone time". Apparently tales from the few times I permitted myself to sate my desires within Aro's villa had reached his ears. As if anything about his unctuous manner could ever convince me that I would receive pleasure from time in his company!

Charlie nodded tersely to us and we all adjourned to the seating intended for us near the dais.

We spent the rest of the evening nibbling finger foods and watching the floor show Aro had prepared for our arrival. It showcased the…talents… of his collection, which were definitely as far ranging as they were varied and stunningly beautiful. Again, I couldn't escape noticing Aro accepted nothing but the most talented and unique of anything available.

As I sat and did my best to ignore the increasingly intimate embraces of those around me, I permitted myself to gaze with increasing curiosity at the small sandaled feet which poked out from beneath the dress of Aro's recent prize as she hung suspended to my left. As she went up on her toes, she let out the most amazing cries obviously straining not to scream from the depth of her climax. I couldn't help but wonder how she achieved such a feat suspended alone as she was, even as I realized it was her feet and the movements of her dress more than "her" which held my attention most.

Even more curiously, I found myself inundated with a firestorm of electricity in the pit of my belly, deeply aroused; and for the first time in days, distracted from wondering why Aro had insisted on our presence here.

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A/N:

So, what'd you think? I'm on pins and needles to hear. Just click that little box below to let me know (good or bad…I can take it like a big girl!)! ;D

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